Our Co-Founder, Louise de Marillac, was born 435 years ago, but her life and her concern for those living in poverty remains a model for everyone in today’s world. Although she endured difficulties throughout her childhood and adult personal life, she was able to open her heart to the light of God. Guided by the Holy Spirit, she was committed to the mission of Jesus Christ.

Louise was born of a noble family near Paris, August 12, 1591. Her father, Louis de Marillac, was in the service of the king. She never knew who her mother was. At age ten, Louise was sent to a convent school where she received a very good education. Born outside of marriage, her father loved her, acknowledged her and financially supported her. He died when she was thirteen and she was moved from the convent school to a boarding house for children. Louise felt abandoned and her life and studies reduced to housekeeping, cooking and dressmaking.

At age 22 the members of her father’s De Marillac family arranged a marriage with Antoine LeGras, secretary to the Queen Mother. Little is recorded about her husband, beyond his poor health and quick temper. The couple had a place of status in Paris life, and Louise lived in a palace which was kept in the fashionable style of the time. They had a son, Michel, who was to become a constant trial in her life. After eight years of marriage, her husband became ill and Louise entered a dark period. She wondered if she should leave her husband and pursue a life of serving God and her neighbors.

Then, on Pentecost Sunday in 1623, as she prayed in St. Nicolas des Champs Church in Paris, she had a spiritual experience which was the turning point of her life. She called it her “Lumiere” or “Light.”

Louise felt God was telling her to stay with her husband and that God would give her a new spiritual director; and that a day would come when she would make vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. In this Pentecost Light, she also envisioned a group of women “coming and  going” from a house in order to serve the poor–which was just not done in those days!

She wrote her vision down on a piece of parchment paper and carried it with her during the rest of her life. A few months after her Lumiere, Louise was referred to Fr. Vincent de Paul as her new spiritual director. Together, they became a life-long team that would forever change religious life and the care of the poor and marginalized.

When Louise was 35, her husband Antoine died. She experienced a lack of financial support and moved frequently with Michel into different housing situations, often with the help of Vincent. Louise, once again in a dark period, questioned the meaning of her life. Michel became increasingly difficult for Louise to parent alone. She would worry about him throughout his troubled life. With Vincent’s advice and counsel, she placed her growing son into a seminary for priestly formation, which did not last.

Vincent came to realize that the only thing that would bring the widow Louise out of her interior darkness was meaningful activity. He sent Louise out along the highways of France to help organize his Confraternities of Charity– wealthy women who served the poor. The good of the poor and the good of Louise herself is what urged Vincent to send her out. “Go in the name of the Lord, Mademoiselle,” wrote Vincent de Paul to Louise de Marillac on May 6, 1629.

Her life as a dedicated servant of the poor had begun. She used coaches, horses or boats as necessary. Vincent knew she would encounter some difficulties, but he urged her to look beyond the human to the example of the life of Jesus Christ. The wealthy women of the Confraternities of Charity started sending their own house servants to help Vincent. Louise became the teacher and spiritual leader of all the young servant girls that wanted to devote themselves to service of their sick and poor neighbors.  In Paris, in the year 1633, Vincent De Paul and Louise De Marillace cofounded the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.

For over 38 years, Louise started many programs: the education of poor girls, prison reform, housing and occupational training for the elderly, resettlement programs for refugees, food banks, work with homeless women, and she initiated the first hospital social worker. She worked for human rights. She started a system of care for babies in the Mother House, a foster care program in homes and cottages to care for children.

St. Louise was well read in the Scriptures and understood the teachings of the Council of Trent. She knew that the church was inseparable from the Holy Spirit who enlightened, strengthened and filled it. She had a special devotion to the mystery of Pentecost and each year during Ascensiontide (the days between the Ascension of Our Lord and Pentecost) she spent it in preparation for the great Feast.

Louise died on March 15, 1660. The Church proclaimed her a saint in 1934.  She was named patroness of Christian Social Workers in 1960.

Learn more about the life of St. Louise De Marillac